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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think that this school advert is sexist?

74 replies

babynumber3eek · 10/03/2017 07:34

Having scrolled through my Facebook feed this morning I spotted an advert for a local and prestigious private girls school, extolling the virtues of their sixth form and the percentages for Oxbridge and RG university entries and offers. Nothing too shocking in that, until you reach the last sentence - 'Not too bad for a girls school in X location'...

Am I being unreasonable to be horrified at the suggestion that they should be somehow congratulated for getting GIRLS into University? I was horrified at the subtle sexism the advert promotes - my eldest two daughters went to private all girls schools and nothing like this would have come out of their marketing teams! I find an institution that is there to educate women using such a derogatory last sentence bizarre and offensive on behalf of their students and the rest of us mere womenfolk!

I left a comment saying such on the advert. Was ABU?

OP posts:

listsandbudgets · 10/03/2017 11:15

DD goes to a girls private. Their advertising by-line seems to be

Valuing high quality education for girls since 1876

My favourite though is from the school inspectors report of 1878 quoted on their website which says

"Inspector of the school is impressed by the girls' standard and 'their healthy freedom from silliness, tittering and affectation'."

Would love to see that in an ofsted report these days

IamFriedSpam · 10/03/2017 11:17

I mean clearly I get that it's meant to be a joke (or it really would be bizarre) but it doesn't make any sense because girls tend to do well at A-level anyway especially if they're at very selective independent schools and Bristol is an affluent area. So it doesn't come off well at all.

WorraLiberty · 10/03/2017 11:26

Yes, because of the area.

The words, 'Not too bad for a girls school in X location

Indicates to me that either the area has a bad press, or that the other schools in that area are not doing as well as in neighbouring areas.

Add to that the sexist negativity that girls hear everyday... "Oh don't be such a girl/You're a big girl's blouse/You run like a girl etc etc etc...

And it's probably far more about the school winning out against all that shit.

Original poster

babynumber3eek · 10/03/2017 11:37

It is that sexist negativity that they are perpetuating by making that 'joke'.

They are clearly an excellent school, with an excellent intake, in an excellent geographical area. Not really a position to be throwing irony around really...

OP posts:

WorraLiberty · 10/03/2017 11:52

It is that sexist negativity that they are perpetuating by making that 'joke'.

In your opinion - my opinion is different.

As I said earlier regarding your 'slow' comment, it's all about individual perspective.

midcenturymodern · 10/03/2017 11:54

Stating that a group of massively privileged girls from a private, academically selective school are doing well, despite being girls and being educated in Bristol isn't 'laughing at sexism'. It's saying that privilege goes some way to levelling the field. Any guffaws to be had are at the expense of girls who can't afford that sort of privilege i.e., most of them. Forget about structural inequality - that doesn't apply to you.

Not really a position to be throwing irony around really

quite

EduCated · 10/03/2017 12:01

I get that it's meant to poke at sexism/prejudice, but I do think that in doing so it simply reinforces and gives some level of credence to those views.

Think it probably just missed the mark a bit.

But yes, I would certainly expect a (private) girls school in Bristol to do well. I don't know Bristol, but thought it was fairly well known for private schooling?

parklives · 10/03/2017 12:19

I agree with you op, it's shit.

SarahBernhardtFan · 10/03/2017 12:25

I went to an all girls grammar school. Two of my daughters were educated in all girls private schools. In theory I'm their target audience. If I'm turned off by it then it wasn't clever marketing

Do you have much older girls as well as the toddler and baby from last year?

Are you still teaching? If you are, why don't you get in touch with them and explain your concerns as to how this comes across?

Butterymuffin · 10/03/2017 12:30

Agree with midcenturymodern above. It comes from a very privileged viewpoint and sounds smug and unaware. Don't think it's been a good approach.

Original poster

babynumber3eek · 10/03/2017 12:42

SarahbernhardtFan yes, I do thanks. Although, my toddler and baby aren't simply 'from last year' . I have 4 children with a large age gap between dcs 2 and 3, the relevance of which rather escapes me but thanks for looking me up!

As I said in my original post I have replied to the advert on Facebook, making my opinions clear. Their response (as also updated on here) was to invite me to look around the school to see what a good job they do as a 'small school in Bristol'! I politely declined as I have seen around the school when looking at schools for my (now at university/ GCSE age) daughters. I've refrained, largely, from commenting about their notion of themselves as just a standard local school based on that sort of wording (overlooking the actual selective intake and fee structure), because if it was ANY girls school posting the same I'd be just as offended. And yes, where I was educated there were all girl/boy schools that weren't selective.

OP posts:

TheStoic · 10/03/2017 13:15

So you still think the ad was sexist, and that's what you said in your response on FB?

SarahBernhardtFan · 10/03/2017 14:16

SarahbernhardtFan yes, I do thanks. Although, my toddler and baby aren't simply 'from last year' hmm . I have 4 children with a large age gap between dcs 2 and 3, the relevance of which rather escapes me but thanks for looking me up! wink

You are very rude, I was on previous threads with you, I namechange a lot lately.

Yes, you must have a massive gap and you had never mentioned them before.

SarahBernhardtFan · 10/03/2017 14:30

They must have deleted your comment, that's quite unprofessional of them. There is nothing there or on visitor posts.

To think that this school advert is sexist?

Original poster

babynumber3eek · 10/03/2017 14:34

I'm not rude. I find the questioning of the number /ages of my children very odd and indeed rude in itself. I certainly have mentioned one of my elder daughters before on specific threads and I'm hardly a prolific poster! Although, what the number of children I have has to do with the sexism in the advert I have no clue... I tend not to start any post by listing the entire contents of my household, only the relevant members to that thread or issue.

TheStoic. I refused the invite stating that I'd already seen around the school with my daughters, yes.

OP posts:

SarahBernhardtFan · 10/03/2017 14:36

Yes, you are rude, very.
As Worra said earlier, perhaps you don't realise how you come accross...

Original poster

babynumber3eek · 10/03/2017 14:36

You are on their website I presume. I commented on the Facebook advert... I'll happily post some screenshots if you're bored...

OP posts:

SarahBernhardtFan · 10/03/2017 14:38

No, it's from Facebook. Yes please, are you bored too?

kali110 · 10/03/2017 14:40

No iv looked from my bfs fb, sarah right, there is nothing...

Original poster

babynumber3eek · 10/03/2017 14:41

Not particularly. Frustrated at seemingly being accused of being a troll. But I guess that's par for the course when trying to have a conversation on here...

OP posts:

kali110 · 10/03/2017 14:41

I also didn't find this sexist, i took it the same as worra

kali110 · 10/03/2017 14:42

Im not accusing you, your comments are no longer there though

SarahBernhardtFan · 10/03/2017 14:43

I am mystified that you state that I was accusing you of being a troll .

You seem to find bad meaning in everything that you come across.

They must have deleted your comment as I said previously.

gillybeanz · 10/03/2017 14:56

I would have read it as a bit of an up yours to previous critics of the school or area. There are also some people who still think boys out perform girls, especially in Maths and Science.

Oh, and I am very slow OP, but have an Hons Degree (2.1) and PG quals.
So the comment about you being a bit slow, has nothing to do with your qualifications.

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